So Black People Aren’t Sex-Crazed, Baby-Making Machines?
Much has already been discussed about single African Americans’ dating desires based on findings from a poll released earlier this month that showed how black people feel about various aspects of their lives. So enough about the romantic relationship numbers. Let’s look at another shocker: 69% percent of respondents have no children under 18, and this number accounts both for children living with them [...]
Is Segregated Literature a Good Thing?
***Update 6/11/2013: If writers of color need a space to gather, their books need a place to be sold, and their readers a space to discuss their work. That’s one of many reasons black bookstores are important, and the oldest one in the country is under threat of foreclosure. Sign the petition to keep them [...]
Bridging Feminism’s Gap
I recently received some proof my normal-person job is important. I try to keep my normal-person job (as opposed to my starving artist/struggling writer gigs) away from my blog, but I work in social justice research, so sometimes, my job and my blog can’t help but relate. On a recent episode of Q, I heard [...]
The Graduation Speech I Wish I had Heard
Dr. Ruth Simmons, former president of Brown University, delivered my commencement speech. Honestly, I don’t remember a thing she said. I’m pretty sure I paid attention to her words. I remember laughing or otherwise responding in some way to some of them, and besides, she was the first black president of an Ivy League institution. [...]
Am I a (Proud) Southerner?
Am I a “Southerner?” Yesterday’s Talk of the Nation made me want to say, “Yes!” I was in the car with my mom when the segment, “What Does It Mean to Be a Southerner?” aired, and nearly every time someone called in, they said something I had either just said to my mom or that [...]
When Healthy Eating is Overwhelming
I could be cooking right now. Or gardening. Or sleeping. Or exercising. Or reading. Or writing something else. But I’m spending time writing this blog post because I’m committed to sharing what I hope are new and unique insights into various issues in the social, cultural and political sphere. This is my gift. This is [...]
How Every Christian Can Relate to Homosexuals in the Church
Last Thursday, Jeff Chu, author of the new book, “Does Jesus Really Love Me? A Gay Christian’s Pilgrimage in Search of God in America,” appeared on the Diane Rehm Show. It was the kind of interview that made me talk back to the radio and that spurned discussions with other people in the car. I [...]
How My Friend Learned Rape Is Wrong
When my mother and I heard the verdict in the Steubenville rape trial, we wondered why only two people were on trial. Clearly, there were other people responsible: Who provided the alcohol? Whose home did this happen in? Who took the photo of the boys carrying the unconscious girl by her arms and legs? Who [...]
The Most Important Ingredient for a Good Sex Scene
As you may know, I spent much of this week at AWP’s 2013 conference in Boston. On the last day, I attended a panel on how to write a good sex scene. The panelists read from their own works and from those of other writers who they think have written sexual intercourse well. Some of [...]
Problematic Prison Panel – lessons from AWP13
I’m at the 2013 AWP Conference in Boston this week, and yesterday, I attended a session about teaching creative writing in the prison system–juvenile detention centers included. The main takeaway from the panel: a creative outlet allows people to stay in touch with their humanity even in the most seemingly hopeless of conditions. Their stories [...]
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